Project to revive abandoned WWII bunkers
Czech architect Juraj Lasovský has come up with a unique project reviving old military bunkers built in Czechoslovakia before the Second World War. His aim is to turn the concrete structures into liveable spaces that can be used for various purposes.
Soon after Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933, the Czechoslovak government started to build massive fortifications along the country’s border to sustain the first onslaught, something like a Czech equivalent to the French Maginot Line.
By September 1938, it had built around 260 heavy fortifications along with some 10,000 light pillboxes meant to deter and repel sudden attacks in key areas.
With the signing of the Munich Agreement, the system was never put to use. However, the dense network of concrete fortifications stayed entrenched in the Czech countryside to this day.
Over the past two decades, dozens of the smaller bunkers were sold off by the Ministry of Defence, but others are still left empty and unused. Together with a group of enthusiasts, Juraj Lasovský came up with the idea to transform these structures, and give them a new purpose. We discussed the details of the project but I started by asking him how the idea emerged.
“The idea originated in 2019, when we actually bought one of the bunkers. At the time, the Ministry of Defence was getting rid of those defence structures, known as řopík in Czech. They were pretty affordable, but really hard to use for other than the original purpose, so we were not quite sure what to do with it.
“We have always loved the shape and the form and they are also nicely integrated in the surrounding landscape.
“However, it is not easy to turn them into something else, because they are made of massive, steel-reinforced concrete without any openings. So what we wanted to do was open them up and find a connection between the interior and the exterior. We also wanted to reveal the interesting layout of the bunker.”
What you propose is cutting the bunker and lifting the upper part, filling the space with glass. Is that correct?
“This cutting of the bunker and lifting its top part actually brings some height and light into the structure.”
“Exactly. We are splitting the bunker in half. This cutting of the bunker and lifting its top part actually brings some height and light into the structure. This additional floor can serve as a sleeping loft for people what want to spend the night.
“It may sound a bit extreme, but we actually really like the form of the bunker and we were not sure about creating any additional volume. In the end, we decided to protect the form as much as possible, so all we are adding is this glaze slit that brings some kind of connection between the interior and the exterior of the bunker.”
How complicated is it in terms of technology?
“The cutting technology is already being used in architecture. We are using a special rope for this purpose. We will also use hydraulic pistons to lift the top part and bring more light into the structure. The pistons can lift huge loads, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
“The bunker already has a core, of course, which we would like to prolong and reinforce in order to support the top part. That will become the main element in the bunker.”
Were you inspired by a similar project elsewhere in the world?
“Yes, of course. There are many examples all over the world. Since we are now operating in Scandinavia, we often travel to Sweden, specifically to the island called Gotland located in the Baltic Sea. There you can find many bunkers that were transformed into private cabins, so that was one of our inspirations.”
Do you have any idea what the Czech bunkers could be used for?
“We also had this idea of connecting them with the existing tourist tracks across Czechia.”
“Yes, we are planning to transform them into livable spaces or cabins, if you like. But they could be also used as a viewing tower or a space where we can spend a couple of hours in case of bad weather.
“We also had this idea of connecting them with the existing tourist tracks across Czechia, because Czechs are really fond of hiking and nature. So this could be a nice experience and adventure.”
So far the project is just on paper. Is it actually going to happen and if so - when?
“Yes, for now it is on paper. We are finalizing the technical drawings and fixing the technical issues and I hope it is going to happen in the near future. I can't tell you exactly when, but we have the project, so I hope it will be as soon as possible.
“I also hope it will be something unique in the Czech context and that it will raise awareness of our history and hopefully, give the bunkers a second life.”
Would it be easy to use the same technology and apply it to other bunkers?
“Yes, most of the bunkers are similar, so the same technology can be used for all of them.”
So if it proves successful, the design could actually be replicated…
“Yes, exactly. Of course we don't want to change all of the bunkers into cabins, but we would like to change at least a few of them. So this idea of cutting, lifting, gaining space and bringing light into the bunker could be used for most of the bunkers that we are talking about.
Can you tell us a little bit more about the bunker that you and your friends purchased? Which part of the country is it located in?
“I want to keep the exact location a secret, so all I can tell you is that it is located in the north of the country.”
